First Kiss
by Blotts101
Summary: Hermione tries to tell Ron how she feels about him. Set after GoF. Please R/R, it's my first fic!


Dear Hermione,  
  
Hope you are having a good time in Bulgaria. Things are pretty normal at the Burrow.  
  
See you at Diagon Alley, or if not then at Hogwarts.  
  
Ron  
  
I bit my lip nervously as I re-read the letter. This was short, even for Ron. Normally he wrote lovely long letters. But this... I'd written more on the postcard I'd sent him from Bulgaria. Well, okay, so I just drew it up on the computer. I didn't actually go to Bulgaria. I'm still not sure why I told Ron I did. One of those stupid, spur of the moment things, I guess...  
  
He couldn't be mad about Bulgaria, could he?  
  
Of course not. He's been totally oblivious to anything I do for years. I mean, he only really realized I was a girl last year, when I went to the ball with Krum. And then, only because he thought I was "fraternizing with the enemy". Honestly. How sad. And anyway, the only reason he even went out with me was - well, we don't really need to go into that, do we? And the only reason I ever went out with him was in the vain hopes that *someone* would notice.  
  
Someone being Ron.  
  
Don't laugh! My ego's fragile enough as it is. Can you even imagine what Lavender would say if she found out? (After she'd had a cardiac arrest, of course.) Let me guess: "Why Ron? What about Harry?"  
  
What *about* Harry? I mean, maybe he's better looking than Ron in some aspects, but... well, for starters, Ron's not a midget. Always a plus. And he's got that red hair with just a few hints of gold, and those cute freckles, and those blue, blue eyes you could just drown in...  
  
There I go again. Ack. Who would've thought it? Hermione Granger, shy, bookish, *sensible* Hermione, head over heels in love with her best friend.  
  
You have no idea how uncomfortable that is.  
  
I'm serious! Those last few months at school were pure torture. Every single time Ron talked to me, I'd get this lovely tingly sensation up and down my spine, followed by some insane compulsion to just stare at him. And then I'd start blushing. Don't get me started on the daydreams...  
  
I'd better get off that subject or I'll end up all hot and bothered. Maybe I should go to Diagon Alley, pick up some schoolbooks, grab a bite to eat and figure out how the hell I'm going to tell Ron the truth without sounding completely stupid. Or just plain insane. I'd better put some serious thought into that one...   
  
The fact that this is my own entire fault is doing nothing to make me feel better.  
  
*****  
  
I stroll lazily down the alley, pushing through the crowd. Occasionally, I see someone from school. There's Lavender dragging Seamus behind her. He's already loaded with Gladrags bags. Poor guy. There's Neville, being told off by his grandmother... and there's Malfoy, with his mother. Great. Hope he doesn't notice me...  
  
Unfortunately, I'm so busy concentrating on looking for people that I know that I run into someone. We both fall heavily to the ground.  
"Sorry, I wasn't concentrating," a somehow familiar voice says, embarrassed.  
"No, it's okay, it's my fau - Ron?" I ask incredulously, feeling my heart plummet to my shoes, severely knotting up my stomach on the way. Gee, thanks God.  
"I thought you were still in Bulgaria," Ron said, with a troubled expression on his face. Was it just me, or was there a dash of jealousy in his eyes?  
  
Nope, it was just me.  
  
"Do you want to go get something to eat?" I asked, oh-so skillfully avoiding the question. (Sarcasm, folks.) "My treat," I added. Ron shrugged, still looking at me strangely. Then he grinned, and grabbed my hand to help me up.  
  
"Good to see you again, Hermione," he said, and sort of half hugged me. Thank God I was already on the ground, or I would have fallen over then and there.  
  
*****  
  
Ron and I sat at one of those tables outside Florean's. Ron's wolfing down his choc-zucchini sundae, but I can't manage even a bite of my vanilla and hazelnut cone. (My favourite.) I feel like there's a lump of lead in my stomach. No, I was wrong. I think I'm going to be sick.  
  
"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking concerned. I shook my head.  
  
"Nothing," I said in an almost totally unconvincing tone of voice. "Wanna go for a walk?"  
  
Ron shrugged. "Okay," he said, frowning a little. "Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"Never been better," I muttered.  
  
We walked in silence for a little while. Predictably, Ron spoke first.  
  
"So," he began. "How was Bulgaria?" I sighed. 'Knew it,' I thought to myself. I pulled Ron behind the restaurant, into the broom parking lot. Ron stared at me apprehensively.  
  
"Hermione," he began carefully, "are you completely sure you're - "  
  
"I'm fine!" I snapped, harsher than I'd meant to. "Just fine." I took a deep breath and turned to face him. Oh, God. I'm going to be sick. I'm afraid, can you believe that?  
  
"I didn't go to Bulgaria," I said flatly, trying to read Ron's expression. He blinked.  
  
"You - you didn't? Why not? And why did you tell me you did?"  
  
"Can we take this one question at a time?" I pleaded. This was way harder than I thought it would be. Deep healing breaths, Hermione, deep healing breaths. Thankfully, Ron nodded.  
  
"Okay then," I said, giving him a shaky grin. "The reason... the reason I didn't go to Bulgaria was..." I twisted my fingers in the hem of my shirt. Oooh, this was not going well. "The reason I didn't go was..." I glance up at Ron. Adorable as always. Looks slightly confused that one of his best friends seems to have gone mad, but still adorable. "Was..." So adorable. His hair looks especially good today - the sun's picking up all the gold in it and making it shine like some kind of halo. "Was..." Don't concentrate on the eyes, Hermione. Don't look at his eyes and you'll be okay.  
Damn it.  
I don't think I can say it.   
  
So I grab him by the shirt and kiss him on the lips. Hard.  
  
It's almost as if, just for a few blissful seconds, there's no one else but Ron. Then I realise what I'm doing. I pull away quickly. Oh God. I've just destroyed my relationship with my best friend.  
  
"OhmyGod Ron I am so *sorry*!" I gasp, twisting the hem of my shirt in shock. I think I'm going to cry. "I - I - I didn't mean to, honest, I just don't know what got into me, I'm so sorry..." Ooh, great going Hermione. Now you're going to go back to being a loner again. Or perhaps you'll go sit with Lavender and Parvati? You're definitely stupid enough. I blabber on with my excuses, starting to hyperventilate. Great. Now I'm going to have an asthma attack. Mightn't be a bad idea... I could blame the whole thing on sickness. Or maybe temporary insanity...  
  
"Hermione?" Ron says, looking slightly dazed.  
  
" - am so sorry, I really truly don't know what got into me - "  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
" - don't have to speak to me again, I'll understand, maybe I should just leave right now - "   
  
"Hermione!" he half yells. I stop, mid-apology.  
  
"Yes?" I squeak, feeling very small. Here it comes. 'Hermione, I don't think we should be friends anymore...'  
  
My thoughts are cut off as Ron kisses me back. I don't think about anything for a while. Bliss. Pure bliss.  
  
Eventually, we pull apart. Now it's my turn to stare. He blushes.  
  
"Did I do the right thing?" he asks, somewhat anxiously.  
  
I can only nod. He smiles back shyly, then grins mischievously.  
  
"What's the answer to the other question?"   
  
I laugh.  
  
A/N: Sweet enough for ya? In case you didn't notice I am a huge R/H shipper, and I thought this would be a cute way for them to get together. Please review and tell me what you think - it's my first fic!  



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